U.S. patent application number 12/472608 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-02 for variable rate scrollbar.
This patent application is currently assigned to Microsoft Corporation. Invention is credited to Weerapan Wilairat.
Application Number | 20100306648 12/472608 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43221685 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100306648 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wilairat; Weerapan |
December 2, 2010 |
VARIABLE RATE SCROLLBAR
Abstract
Embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar are described. In
various embodiments, media items, such as email messages, text
messages, digital photos, or song selections are grouped by a page,
a day, a week, or a month that corresponds to a date associated
with a media item. A list of the media items is displayed from one
of the groups, and the media items that are displayed are
selectable from the list. A variable rate scrollbar is displayed
and configured for selection to navigate the media items at
variable rates according to the groups of the media items.
Inventors: |
Wilairat; Weerapan;
(Sammamish, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICROSOFT CORPORATION
ONE MICROSOFT WAY
REDMOND
WA
98052
US
|
Assignee: |
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond
WA
|
Family ID: |
43221685 |
Appl. No.: |
12/472608 |
Filed: |
May 27, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/702 ;
715/786 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/04855 20130101;
G06F 3/0488 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/702 ;
715/786 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/01 20060101
G06F003/01; G06F 3/048 20060101 G06F003/048 |
Claims
1. A method implemented by a portable computer device, the method
comprising: storing groups of media items that are grouped by at
least one of a page, a day, a week, or a month that corresponds to
a date associated with a media item; displaying a list of the media
items from at least one of the groups, the media items that are
displayed being selectable from the list; and displaying a variable
rate scrollbar configured for selection to navigate the media items
at variable rates according to the groups of the media items.
2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate
scrollbar includes identifiers of the groups of the media items,
and wherein an identifier is selectable to initiate a display of
the media items according to the group that is identified.
3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate
scrollbar includes an individual navigation region configured for
individual navigation of the media items that are displayed from at
least one of the groups, and further includes a group navigation
region for group navigation to initiate a display of a different
group of the media items.
4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising detecting an
input to the variable rate scrollbar to individually navigate the
media items that are displayed from at least one of the groups, and
detecting that the input is continued to vary a scrolling rate of
the variable rate scrollbar and initiate a display of a different
group of the media items.
5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate
scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the
media items that are displayed and grouped according to the day,
and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for
group navigation to initiate a display of the media items that are
grouped according to at least one of the week or the month.
6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate
scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the
media items that are displayed and grouped according to the week,
and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for
group navigation to initiate a display of the media items that are
grouped according to at least one of the day or the month.
7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate
scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the
media items that are displayed and grouped according to the month,
and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for
group navigation to initiate a display of the media items that are
grouped according to at least one of the day or the week.
8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media items are at
least one of email messages or text messages, and wherein the date
associated with an email message or a text message is a date when
the email message or the text message is received.
9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media items are at
least one of digital photos or song selections.
10. A portable computer device, comprising: at least a memory and a
processor configured to implement a variable rate scrollbar
configured for selection to navigate groups of email messages that
are grouped by at least one of a page, a day, a week, or a month
that corresponds to a date when an email message is received; a
touch-screen configured to display a list of the email messages
from at least one of the groups; a scrollbar application configured
to initiate a display of the variable rate scrollbar to navigate
the email messages at variable rates according to the groups of the
email messages; and a touch-screen driver configured to detect an
input to the variable rate scrollbar as an individual navigation of
the email messages when displayed from at least one of the groups,
and further configured to detect that the input is continued to
vary a scrolling rate of the variable rate scrollbar to initiate a
display of a different group of the email messages.
11. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the
variable rate scrollbar includes identifiers of the groups of email
messages, and wherein an identifier is selectable to initiate the
display of the email messages according to the group that is
identified.
12. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the
variable rate scrollbar includes an individual navigation region
configured for the individual navigation of the email messages when
displayed from at least one of the groups, and further includes a
group navigation region for group navigation to initiate the
display of the different group of the email messages.
13. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the
variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual
navigation of the email messages that are displayed and grouped
according to the day, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is
further configured for group navigation to initiate the display of
the email messages that are grouped according to at least one of
the week or the month.
14. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the
variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual
navigation of the email messages that are displayed and grouped
according to the week, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is
further configured for group navigation to initiate the display of
the email messages that are grouped according to at least one of
the day or the month.
15. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the
variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual
navigation of the email messages that are displayed and grouped
according to the month, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is
further configured for group navigation to initiate the display of
the email messages that are grouped according to at least one of
the day or the week.
16. Computer-readable media having stored thereon
computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a portable
computer device, initiate the portable computer device to: store
groups of media items that are grouped by at least one of a page, a
day, a week, or a month that corresponds to a date associated with
a media item; initiate a display of a list of the media items from
at least one of the groups, the media items that are displayed
being selectable from the list; and initiate a display of a
variable rate scrollbar configured for selection to navigate the
media items at variable rates according to the groups of the media
items.
17. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the
computer-executable instructions, if executed, further initiate the
portable computer device to display the variable rate scrollbar to
include identifiers of the groups of the media items, and wherein
an identifier is selectable to initiate a display of the media
items according to the group that is identified.
18. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the
computer-executable instructions, if executed, further initiate the
portable computer device to display the variable rate scrollbar to
include an individual navigation region configured for individual
navigation of the media items that are displayed from at least one
of the groups, and to further include a group navigation region for
group navigation to initiate a display of a different group of the
media items.
19. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the
computer-executable instructions, if executed, further initiate the
portable computer device to detect an input to the variable rate
scrollbar to individually navigate the media items that are
displayed from at least one of the groups, and to detect that the
input is continued to vary a scrolling rate of the variable rate
scrollbar to initiate a display of a different group of the media
items.
20. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the
media items are at least one of email messages or text messages,
and wherein the date associated with an email message or a text
message is a date when the email message or the text message is
received.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Portable computer devices are increasingly more common and
mobile, such as laptop computers, tablet PCs, ultra-mobile PCs, as
well as other mobile data, messaging, and/or communication devices.
When a user holds a small, portable device such as a tablet PC or
ultra-mobile PC that has an integrated touch-screen, a common
interaction technique is to hold the device with one hand and
interact with the touch-screen with fingers of the other hand. For
example, users can tap-touch targets, user interface elements, or
menu items on the touch-screen with a finger. While portable
computer devices have become more mobile and convenient, the size
of device integrated displays has decreased to accommodate the
mobility and convenience of the devices. Many users of portable
devices utilize email as a main source of communication and often
accumulate hundreds of emails, but can only view a few emails at
any one time on a small display. This can make it difficult for a
user to scroll or otherwise navigate through many emails,
particularly past emails that may have been received in past days,
weeks, and/or months.
SUMMARY
[0002] This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts of
a variable rate scrollbar. The simplified concepts are further
described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not
intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject
matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the
claimed subject matter.
[0003] Embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar are described. In
various embodiments, media items, such as email messages, text
messages, digital photos, or song selections are grouped by a page,
a day, a week, and/or a month that corresponds to a date associated
with a media item. A list of the media items is displayed from one
of the groups, and the media items that are displayed are
selectable from the list. A variable rate scrollbar is displayed
and configured for selection to navigate the media items at
variable rates according to the groups of the media items.
[0004] In other embodiments, a portable computer device implements
a variable rate scrollbar configured for selection to navigate
messages that are grouped by a page, a day, a week, and/or a month
that corresponds to a date when a message is received. A
touch-screen of the portable computer device displays a list of the
messages from at least one of the groups. A scrollbar application
initiates a display of the variable rate scrollbar to navigate the
messages at variable rates according to the groups of the messages.
A touch-screen driver can detect an input to the variable rate
scrollbar as an individual navigation of the messages when
displayed from at least one of the groups, and further, can detect
that the input is continued to vary a scrolling rate of the
variable rate scrollbar to initiate a display of a different group
of the messages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar are described with
reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are used
throughout the drawings to reference like features and
components:
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a portable computer device
that can implement various embodiments of a variable rate
scrollbar.
[0007] FIG. 2 illustrates an example system in which embodiments of
a variable rate scrollbar can be implemented.
[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates example method(s) for a variable rate
scrollbar in accordance with one or more embodiments.
[0009] FIG. 4 illustrates various components of an example device
that can implement embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] Embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar provide techniques
for a user of a portable device to scroll a display of media items,
such as a list of email messages, text messages, digital photos,
song selections, or any other type of media items that are listed
for user selection. A variable rate scrollbar provides individual
navigation of media items, such as email messages, that are
displayed and grouped according to any of a page for the current
day, a past day, a week, and/or a month. The variable rate
scrollbar also provides for variable group navigation to initiate a
display of a different grouping of the email messages (e.g., a
different past day, a week, or a month). The scrolling rate, or how
fast a user can scroll media items, is changed or varied based on
how a user can select individual media items, such as in a page
view of the email messages, and then jump to select a group of the
email messages from a past day, a week, or a month. A user can
change the scrolling rate of a variable rate scrollbar without
lifting the contact of a touch input on a touch-screen of a
portable device. Additionally, when a group of media items is
selected, a user can then individually navigate the media items
that are associated with the selected group of media items.
[0011] While features and concepts of the described systems and
methods for a variable rate scrollbar can be implemented in any
number of different environments, systems, and/or various
configurations, embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar are
described in the context of the following example systems and
environments.
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates an example 100 of a portable device 102
that can implement various embodiments of a variable rate
scrollbar. Portable device 102 is an example of any of the various
types of portable devices described with reference to FIG. 2 and
can also be implemented with any number and combination of
differing components as described with reference to the example
device shown in FIG. 4. Portable device 102 includes an integrated
touch-screen 104 to display user interfaces, user interface
elements and features, user-selectable controls, various
displayable objects, and the like. Portable device 102 also
includes at least a touch-screen driver 106 and a scrollbar
application 108 to initiate display of a variable rate scrollbar
110 and the various user interface elements, features, and
controls.
[0013] In various implementations, the portable device 102 can be
utilized as a music and/or video player, for email communication,
text messaging, as a photo viewer, as a portable phone for voice
communication, and/or for many other applications. In this example,
portable device 102 includes a display of media items 112, which
may be a list of email messages, text messages, digital photos,
song selections, or any other type of media items that are listed
for user selection. The portable device 102 includes a memory to
store groups of the media items that are grouped by a page, a day,
a week, and/or a month that corresponds to a date associated with a
media item. For example, email messages and text messages can be
grouped by the date when an email message or text message is
received. Similarly, digital photos may be grouped by the date when
a photo is taken and song selections may be grouped by the date
when a song is downloaded.
[0014] In an embodiment, the scrollbar application 108 initiates a
display of the variable rate scrollbar 110 on the touch-screen 104
for user selection or manipulation to navigate the media items at
variable rates according to the groups of the media items. A user
can navigate the list, or a partial list, of the media items 112
that are displayed on the touch-screen 104. In this example, the
list of media items 112 are email messages displayed in a page view
of the email messages (e.g., shown as media items 1-6) that have
been received on the current day (i.e., the current day is
represented as a Friday in this example). The list of the email
messages can be scrolled to display subsequent pages of additional
email messages that are also received on the current day.
[0015] The variable rate scrollbar 110 includes an individual
navigation region 114 that a user can select and/or manipulate for
individual navigation of the email messages that are displayed in
the list, such as in the page view for the list of the media items
112. In this example, the individual navigation region is shown as
approximately fifty-percent (50%) of the variable rate scrollbar
110, although the region may be implemented as any size or
percentage of the scrollbar to accommodate user selection, such as
with finger or thumb touch inputs to the touch-screen 104. The
variable rate scrollbar 110 can include a position indicator 116
that indicates where a user interacts with the variable rate
scrollbar 110. For example, the position indicator 116 is shown
displayed in the individual navigation region 114 which indicates
to a user that the list of email messages is scrolled from the page
group to display subsequent pages of additional email messages that
are also received on the current day.
[0016] The variable rate scrollbar 110 also includes a group
navigation region 118 that a user can select and/or manipulate for
group navigation to initiate the display of a different group of
the email messages. The variable rate scrollbar 110 includes
identifiers 120 of the groups of email messages. In this example,
the group navigation region 118 includes identifiers of the
consecutive previous days on which email messages have been
received. In this example, the current day is represented as a
Friday, and the consecutive previous days are Thursday, Wednesday,
Tuesday, and so on as indicated by the identifiers 120 (e.g., Th,
W, Tu, M, Su, Sa for the days of the current week).
[0017] An identifier in the group navigation region 118 is
selectable to initiate the display of the email messages according
to the group that is identified. For example, a user can scroll
from the individual navigation region 114 down into the group
navigation region 118 to select an identifier 120 as shown at 122.
The position indicator 116 is shown displayed at 122 to indicate a
selection of the media items that are grouped by a day, such as
Wednesday in this example when the W identifier is selected from
the group navigation region 118 by touch input. Accordingly, a list
124 or partial list of email messages 126 that correlate to the
selected group of media items is displayed (e.g., shown as
Wed_Items 1-6).
[0018] When a user scrolls by touch input with a thumb or finger
into the group navigation region 118, the identifiers 120 of the
groups of email messages have the appearance of shifting in an
opposite direction to that of the touch input. For example, as a
user scrolls down through the identifiers 120 from Thursday (Th) to
Wednesday (W) to Tuesday (Tu) and so on, the next consecutive
identifiers are scrolled up for display at a scroll rate that
increases from the scroll rate by item, to a scroll rate by day, to
a scroll rate by week, and so on to a scroll rate by month. In an
implementation, the identifiers 120 are shifted up at a faster rate
than the drag speed of the touch input so that the user can
increase the scroll rate without lifting the contact of a touch
input on the touch-screen.
[0019] In an implementation, the position indicator 116 moves down
along with the touch input as the user drags a finger down
approximately five pixels, and the identifiers Th, W, Tu, and M
shift up in the variable rate scrollbar approximately 20 pixels to
display the next consecutive identifier for Sunday (S) while the
position indicator 116 is positioned over the Wednesday (W)
identifier. Similarly, while the user drags a finger down
approximately another five pixels, the identifiers W, Tu, M, and S
all shift up in the variable rate scrollbar approximately 20 more
pixels to display the next consecutive identifier for Saturday
(Sa), and the position indicator 116 is positioned over the Tuesday
(Tu) identifier. The identifiers 120 of the groups of email
messages continue to shift up as a touch input scrolls down the
variable rate scrollbar to display day identifiers that correlate
to different day groups of media items, week identifiers that
correlate to different week groups of the media items, and/or month
identifiers that correlate to different month groups of the media
items. This is described further with reference to the variable
rate scrollbar 110 that is shown at 134.
[0020] The touch-screen driver 106 is implemented to detect a touch
input to the variable rate scrollbar 110 in the individual
navigation region 114 as an individual navigation of the email
messages, and also to detect a touch input in the group navigation
region 118 that initiates a display of a different group of the
email messages. The variable rate scrollbar 110 is implemented for
individual navigation of the email messages that are displayed and
grouped according to any of a page for the current day, a past day,
a week, and/or a month, and is also implemented for variable, group
navigation to initiate the display of a different grouping of the
email messages (e.g., a different past day, a week, or a month).
The scrolling rate, or how fast a user can scroll media items, is
changed or varied based on how a user can select individual media
items, such as in a page view, and then jump to select a group of
media items. Additionally, when a group of media items is selected,
a user can then individually navigate the media items that are
associated with the selected group of media items.
[0021] When a user selects an identifier 120 from the group
navigation region 118 to initiate the display of the email messages
according to the group that is identified, such as Wednesday in
this example when the W identifier is selected at 122, and the user
stops scrolling or lifts contact from the touch-screen, the
variable rate scrollbar 110 can be segmented into various
navigation regions. In this example, the variable rate scrollbar
110 is segmented into a top group navigation region 128 for faster
group scrolling to email messages that were received in recent days
(e.g., Thursday and Friday); a bottom group navigation region 130
for faster group scrolling to email messages that were received on
previous days (e.g., Monday and Tuesday); and an individual
navigation region 132 for individual navigation of the email
messages that are displayed in the list 124 of email messages 126
that correlate to the currently selected group of email messages
(e.g., Wednesday).
[0022] In various embodiments, the variable rate scrollbar 110 that
is shown at 134 can include day identifiers 136 that correlate to
different day groups of media items, week identifiers 138 that
correlate to different week groups of the media items, and/or month
identifiers 140 that correlate to different month groups of the
media items. As similarly described above, a user can scroll
through the various group identifiers in the navigation region of
the variable rate scrollbar 110 to select an identifier as shown at
142. The position indicator 116 is shown displayed at 142 to
indicate a selection of the media items that are grouped by a week
when the week identifier 2W is selected from the group navigation
region by touch input. Accordingly, a list or partial list of media
items that correlate to the selected group of media items can be
displayed.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates an example system 200 in which various
embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar can be implemented.
Example system 200 includes a portable device 202 (e.g., a wired
and/or wireless device) that can be any one or combination of a
mobile personal computer 204, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a
mobile phone 206 (e.g., cellular, VoIP, WiFi, etc.) that is
implemented for data, messaging, and/or voice communications, a
portable computer device 208 (e.g., a laptop computer, a laptop
computer with a touch-screen, etc.), a media device 210 (e.g., a
personal media player, portable media player, etc.), a gaming
device, an appliance device, an electronic device, and/or any other
type of portable device that can receive, display, and/or
communicate data in any form of audio, video, and/or image
data.
[0024] Each of the various portable devices can include an
integrated display and/or an integrated touch-screen, as well as
selectable input controls via which a user can input data and/or
selections. For example, mobile personal computer 204 includes an
integrated touch-screen 212 on which a user interface 214 can be
displayed that includes displayable objects and/or user interface
elements 216, such as any type of image, graphic, text, selectable
button, user-selectable control, menu selection, map element,
and/or any other type of user interface displayable feature or
item.
[0025] Any of the various portable devices described herein can be
implemented with one or more sensors, processors, communication
components, data inputs, memory components, storage media,
processing and control circuits, and/or a content rendering system.
Any of the portable devices can also be implemented for
communication via communication networks that can include any type
of a data network, voice network, broadcast network, an IP-based
network, and/or a wireless network that facilitates data,
messaging, and/or voice communications. A portable device can also
be implemented with any number and combination of differing
components as described with reference to the example device shown
in FIG. 4. A portable device may also be associated with a user
(i.e., a person) and/or an entity that operates the device such
that a portable device describes logical devices that include
users, software, and/or a combination of devices.
[0026] In this example, portable device 202 includes one or more
processors 218 (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the
like), a memory 220, a communication interface 222 for data,
messaging, and/or voice communications, and data inputs 224 to
receive media items 226 and/or media content. Media items can
include any type of email messages, text messages, digital photos,
song selections, and the like. Media content (e.g., to include
recorded media content) can include any type of audio, video,
and/or image data received from any media content or data source,
such as messages, television media content, music, video clips,
data feeds, interactive games, network-based applications, and any
other content. Portable device 202 is implemented with a device
manager 228 that includes any one or combination of a control
application, software application, signal processing and control
module, code that is native to the particular device, and/or a
hardware abstraction layer for the particular device.
[0027] Portable device 202 includes various media applications 230
that may incorporate components such as a scrollbar application 232
that can be processed or otherwise executed by the processors 218.
The media applications 230 can include a music and/or video player,
a Web browser, an email application, a messaging application, a
photo viewer, and the like. Portable device 202 includes a
rendering system 234 to render user interfaces and a variable rate
scrollbar from the scrollbar application 232 to generate a display
on any of the portable devices. The rendering system 234 is also
implemented to receive and render any form of audio, video, and/or
image data received from any media content and/or data source.
Portable device 202 also includes a touch-screen driver 236, such
as described with reference to touch-screen driver 106 shown in
FIG. 1, and with reference to embodiments of a variable rate
scrollbar as described herein.
[0028] Example method 300 is described with reference to FIG. 3 in
accordance with one or more embodiments of a variable rate
scrollbar. Generally, any of the functions, methods, procedures,
components, and modules described herein can be implemented using
hardware, software, firmware, fixed logic circuitry, manual
processing, or any combination thereof. A software implementation
of a function, method, procedure, component, or module represents
program code that performs specified tasks when executed on a
computing-based processor. The example methods may be described in
the general context of computer-executable instructions, which can
include software, applications, routines, programs, objects,
components, data structures, procedures, modules, functions, and
the like.
[0029] The methods may also be practiced in a distributed computing
environment where functions are performed by remote processing
devices that are linked through a communication network. In a
distributed computing environment, computer-executable instructions
may be located in both local and remote computer storage media,
including memory storage devices. Further, the features described
herein are platform-independent such that the techniques may be
implemented on a variety of computing platforms having a variety of
processors.
[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates example method(s) 300 of a variable rate
scrollbar. The order in which the method is described is not
intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the
described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement
the method, or an alternate method.
[0031] At block 302, groups of media items are stored that are
grouped by a page, a day, a week, and/or a month that corresponds
to a date associated with a media item. For example, portable
device 102 includes a memory to store groups of media items that
are grouped by a page, a day, a week, and/or a month that
corresponds to a date associated with a media item. Email messages
and text messages can be grouped by the date when an email message
or text message is received. Similarly, digital photos may be
grouped by the date when a photo is taken and song selections may
be grouped by the date when a song is downloaded. The portable
device 102 can be utilized as a music and/or video player, for
email communication, text messaging, as a photo viewer, as a
portable phone for voice communication, and/or for many other
applications.
[0032] At block 304, a list of the media items from at least one of
the groups is displayed, and the media items that are displayed are
selectable from the list of the media items. For example, a list or
list of media items 112 are displayed on the touch-screen 104, such
as email messages displayed in a page view of the email messages
that have been received on a current day. The list of the email
messages can be scrolled to display subsequent pages of additional
email messages that are also received on the current day, and any
of the email messages can be selected by a user from the list.
[0033] At block 306, a variable rate scrollbar is displayed that
can be selected to navigate the media items at variable rates
according to the groups of the media items. For example, the
scrollbar application 108 at portable device 102 initiates a
display of the variable rate scrollbar 110 on touch-screen 104 for
user selection or manipulation to navigate the media items at
variable rates according to the groups of the media items. The
variable rate scrollbar 110 includes an individual navigation
region 114 that a user selects and/or manipulates for individual
navigation and selection of the media items. The variable rate
scrollbar 110 also includes a group navigation region 118 that a
user selects and/or manipulates for group navigation to initiate
the display of a different group of media items. The variable rate
scrollbar 110 also includes identifiers of the groups of media
items, such as identifiers 120 of day groups of email messages, day
identifiers 136 that correlate to different day groups of media
items, week identifiers 138 that correlate to different week groups
of the media items, and/or month identifiers 140 that correlate to
different month groups of the media items.
[0034] At block 308, an input to the variable rate scrollbar is
detected to individually navigate the media items that are
displayed from at least one of the groups. For example, the
touch-screen driver 106 at portable device 102 detects a touch
input to the variable rate scrollbar 110 in the individual
navigation region 114 as an individual navigation of media items
that are displayed. At block 310, the continued input to the
variable rate scrollbar is detected to vary a scrolling rate of the
variable rate scrollbar and initiate a display of a different group
of the media items. For example, the touch-screen driver 106 also
detects that the touch input is continued, or scrolled, in the
group navigation region 118 that initiates a display of a different
group of the media items according to an identifier of a group of
the media items that is selected.
[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates various components of an example device
400 that can be implemented as any type of portable and/or computer
device as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 to implement
embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar. Device 400 includes
communication devices 402 that enable wired and/or wireless
communication of device data 404 (e.g., received data, data that is
being received, data scheduled for broadcast, data packets of the
data, etc.). The device data 404 or other device content can
include configuration settings of the device, media content stored
on the device, and/or information associated with a user of the
device. Media content stored on device 400 can include any type of
audio, video, and/or image data. Device 400 includes one or more
data inputs 406 via which any type of data, media content, and/or
inputs can be received, such as user-selectable inputs, messages,
music, television media content, recorded video content, and any
other type of audio, video, and/or image data received from any
content and/or data source.
[0036] Device 400 also includes communication interfaces 408 that
can be implemented as any one or more of a serial and/or parallel
interface, a wireless interface, any type of network interface, a
modem, and as any other type of communication interface. The
communication interfaces 408 provide a connection and/or
communication links between device 400 and a communication network
by which other electronic, computing, and communication devices
communicate data with device 400.
[0037] Device 400 includes one or more processors 410 (e.g., any of
microprocessors, controllers, and the like) which process various
computer-executable instructions to control the operation of device
400 and to implement embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar.
Alternatively or in addition, device 400 can be implemented with
any one or combination of hardware, firmware, or fixed logic
circuitry that is implemented in connection with processing and
control circuits which are generally identified at 412. Although
not shown, device 400 can include a system bus or data transfer
system that couples the various components within the device. A
system bus can include any one or combination of different bus
structures, such as a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral
bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that
utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures.
[0038] Device 400 also includes computer-readable media 414, such
as one or more memory components, examples of which include random
access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., any one or more of
a read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and a
disk storage device. A disk storage device may be implemented as
any type of magnetic or optical storage device, such as a hard disk
drive, a recordable and/or rewriteable compact disc (CD), any type
of a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like. Device 400 can
also include a mass storage media device 416.
[0039] Computer-readable media 414 provides data storage mechanisms
to store the device data 404, as well as various device
applications 418 and any other types of information and/or data
related to operational aspects of device 400. For example, an
operating system 420 can be maintained as a computer application
with the computer-readable media 414 and executed on processors
410. The device applications 418 can include a device manager
(e.g., a control application, software application, signal
processing and control module, code that is native to a particular
device, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device,
etc.). The device applications 418 also include any system
components or modules to implement embodiments of a variable rate
scrollbar. In this example, the device applications 418 include a
scrollbar application 422 and a touch-screen driver 424 that are
shown as software modules and/or computer applications.
Alternatively or in addition, the scrollbar application 422 and the
touch-screen driver 424 can be implemented as hardware, software,
firmware, or any combination thereof.
[0040] Device 400 also includes an audio and/or video input-output
system 426 that provides audio data to an audio system 428 and/or
provides video data to a display system 430. The audio system 428
and/or the display system 430 can include any devices that process,
display, and/or otherwise render audio, video, and image data.
Video signals and audio signals can be communicated from device 400
to an audio device and/or to a display device via an RF (radio
frequency) link, S-video link, composite video link, component
video link, DVI (digital video interface), analog audio connection,
or other similar communication link. In an embodiment, the audio
system 428 and/or the display system 430 are implemented as
external components to device 400. Alternatively, the audio system
428 and/or the display system 430 are implemented as integrated
components of example device 400.
[0041] Although embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar have been
described in language specific to features and/or methods, it is to
be understood that the subject of the appended claims is not
necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described.
Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as example
implementations of a variable rate scrollbar.
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